The Growing Sports Divide over Race and Politics

Americans are divided by race and politics over the appropriateness of political activism in sports, especially when it comes to athletes taking a knee during the national anthem, according to a new Axios-Ipsos poll.

{snip} The poll also found that Americans have more mixed feelings on the use of Native American-themed mascots, which generate strong opposition among Black Americans while other groups are more open to it.

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{snip} Overall, people were nearly evenly split on whether professional athletes should express their views on national issues — though strong majorities of respondents of all races and ethnicities said protests against racial injustice are free expression and should be protected.

• But the split on advocating personal views came largely from the opposition of white respondents: 60% said athletes shouldn’t express their views. By contrast, large majorities of Black respondents (84%), Hispanic respondents (63%), and Asian respondents (68%) said they should.
• There was also a huge partisan gap, with eight out of 10 Republicans — including 84% of white Republicans — saying athletes shouldn’t express their views. Three out of four Democrats and 57% of independents said they should.

The conflict was even greater over whether it’s appropriate for athletes to kneel during the national anthem. A slight majority said it’s not appropriate — but that was because a strong majority of white respondents opposed the tactic.

• More than nine out of 10 white Republicans said kneeling is inappropriate, and nearly six out of 10 white independents agreed. Among white Democrats, 68% said it’s OK to kneel.

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The poll found that the public largely accepts Native American-themed team names or mascots in a year when several professional teams dropped or modified them. But they have struck a particular nerve with Black Americans.

• Overall, 64% said the use of Native American mascots honors the tribes and that team name changes have gone too far.
• But those findings were nearly reversed among Black Americans, with 61% saying the use of mascots is disrespectful. A strong majority of white respondents and narrower majorities of Hispanic and Asian respondents said the use of mascots honors the tribes.

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